Four parties reject election alliance with Armenian National Congres

Four parties reject election alliance with Armenian National Congress

10:14 03/03/2012 » Daily press review

Four political units making part of Armenian National Congress have
refused to form election alliance with HAK, Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun
reports. These forces are: National Revival party led by former
Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan, Homeland and Honor party led
by Garnik Margaryan, Christian-People’s Revival party led by Sos
Gimishyan, and Union of Armenian Volunteers represented by former
Mayor of Goris Samvel Harutyunyan.

These forces have rejected election alliance with HAK, nevertheless,
they will remain part of it.

Source: Panorama.am

Armenian chess players in Women’s Championship

Armenian chess players in Women’s Championship

11:41 03/03/2012 » Sport

In the first round of European Women’s Championship held in Turkish
city of Gaziantep Armenian chess players set a successful start. Elina
Danielian, Lilit Mkrtchian, Lilit Galoyan and Maria Kursova have
defeated Drljevic, Sandu, Kaya, Bozkurt. The latter two chess players
are presenting Turkey.

During the reporting round Anna Hayrapetyan lost to Georgian Nino Khurtsidze.

In the second round Lilit Galoyan will play against Elina Danielian,
Lilit Mkrtchian against Elena Sedina (Italy), Maria Kursova against
Inna Gaponenko (Ukraine), Anna Hayraoetyan against Olena Martinkova
(Ukraine), Nelly Aleksanyan (Russia) against Salome Melia (Georgia).

Source: Panorama.am

DM: We allocate large financial resources to military medicine

Minister: We allocate large financial resources to military medicine,
and you have no right to display neglect in your duties

13:27 03/03/2012 » Society

`Armenian medical workers’ participation in the war was unique because
they were among the first to go to border regions and to Artsakh
hospitals to perform their professional duties. In tents, in poor
hospital conditions our doctors did their duty saving thousands of
lives. Armenian doctors fought for victory in Artsakh war not only in
hospitals but also took up arms. Hats off to them!’ Armenian Defense
Minister Seyran Ohanyan said in his opening address to the Military
Medicine Conference at Mkhitar Heratsi State Medical University of
Yerevan.

The Minister placed a high value on the presence of Armenian doctors
at Artsakh liberation fight, and named one by one those who quitted
the University to take up arms, but never returned.

`A faculty of military medicine was created in the University soon
after the signing of a ceasefire agreement in May. There are many top
military medical officials among the faculty’s leavers,’ said Seyran
Ohanyan.

The Armed Forces of Armenia and the Medical University cooperate in
many fields, the Minister said, noting that with the faculty of
military medicine only, the Defense Ministry implements many important
projects, holds patriotic events to honor our martyrs.

`We allocate large financial resources for the development of military
medicine, and therefore you have no right to display neglect in your
duties,’ said the Minister.

At the conference, Speaker of National Assembly Samvel Nikoyan handed
over awards to a group of doctors for their professional aid in the
field of military medicine.

Source: Panorama.am

Armenian soldier killed by fellow serviceman?

Haykakan Zhamanak: Armenian soldier killed by fellow serviceman?
10:47 – 03.03.12

Armenian conscript Armen Adibekyan, reported dead near Chinari village
(Tavush region) on February 23, was killed by a fellow serviceman’s
bullet, not an Azerbaijani sniper, the paper has learned.

An expert of the Helsinki Association, Ruben Martirosyan, has told
Haykakan Zhamanak that the truth became known to him after a
conversation with Yura Martirosyan, the chief of the Defense
Ministry’s Central Administration.

`It was clear from the very first moment that the soldier was killed
by a fellow serviceman. A sniper from the enemy’s troops could not
have technically hit such a blow,’ Martirosyan was quoted as saying.

Speaking to the paper, an officer of the Ministry’s Investigative
Service, Mary Sarsgsyan neither confirmed nor denied the statement,
saying only that the Service did not yet have anything new to report.

Sargsyan was further quoted as saying that a criminal case was
instituted immediately after the incident, the official reports
suggesting that the perpetrator was the enemy’s sniper.

Tert.am

Armenian Deputy Speaker meets with head of Russian State Duma

Armenian Deputy Speaker meets with head of Russian State Duma

news.am
March 03, 2012 | 14:33

Armenian Deputy Speaker Edward Sharmazanov participated on Saturday in
the CIS inter-governmental session in St. Petersburg, Russia. On the
same day Sharmazanov met with the Chairman of the Russian State Duma
Sergey Naryshkin.

Deputy Speaker stated that Armenia is interested in holding fair,
democratic elections in Russia which will meet international
standards, parliamentary press service informs. The sides also
stressed importance of Armenian-Russian strategic partnership and
cooperation between the parliaments of both states.

Sharmazanov is going to observe the Russian presidential elections on
Sunday in St. Petersburg.

Catholicos of Cilicia refuses giving interview to Turkish television

Armenian Catholicos of Cilicia refuses giving interview to Turkish television

news.am
March 03, 2012 | 12:40

Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia of the Armenian
Apostolic Church refused the invitation to give an interview to
Turkish satellite television.

`There is no Armenian issue – as you put it – for the Armenian people. The
Armenian Genocide is an historical reality and, as such, it cannot
become a subject for discussion, dialogue, or talks,’ the Great House
of Cilicia Department of Information noted in its response letter to
the invitation.

Stressing that Turkey must recognize the Genocide and pay
compensation, the letter’s sources remarked that, `Turkey presents
itself as a human rights defender yet it continues to disregard the
rights of the Armenian people.’

Man’s body found in Armenia’s Lake Sevan, after 2-week search

Man’s body found in Armenia’s Lake Sevan, after 2-week search

news.am
March 03, 2012 | 12:45

YEREVAN. – Ashot Manukyan, 37, had informed Armenia’s Police Force, on
February 18, that in the morning of the previous day his father,
Karchaghbyur village resident Aramayis Manukyan, 55, had gone to Lake
Sevan to fish but had not returned home, and that he probably was
drowned.

The search activities had continued until this Friday, when servicemen
from the Police Force and the Ministry of Emergency Situations found
Aramayis Manukyan’s dead body in the Lake, the Police Force informs.

External examination revealed no traces of violence on the body.

A medical examination is commissioned.

About a Slice of History

About a Slice of History

asbarez
Friday, March 2nd, 2012

Catherine Yesayan
BY CATHERINE YESAYAN

Learning a slice of history from the city of Tabriz, where Armenians
have thrived for centuries, is one of the attractions of a special
March 10 banquet planned by `Jan Tavriz.’ The group strives to
preserve Armenian heritage in Tabriz and in the northwestern region of
Iran known as the province of Azerbaijan.

Tabriz stands along important crossroads of ancient cultures. Since
its first mention in history – back in the 7th century BC – Tabriz
has experienced many cycles of decay and rebirth. At times it has been
the capital of Persia, and at other times a major city in the
landscape of history.

David Rohl, in his book Legend: The Genesis of Civilisation, indicates
that Tabriz stands where the Garden of Eden was situated. He also
mentions that during the 3rd century, Tabriz, then called Tauris, was
the capital of Armenia.

My mother and her family were from Tabriz. In 1930s, during the years
my mother was growing up, there were around 30,000 Armenians living
there. Most of these Armenians were descendants of skilled artisans
and their families uprooted in the early 1600s from their homes in
Armenia and relocated to Isfahan, a city in the South of Iran, by King
Shah-Abbas.

>From the early 19th century to the early 20th Century, Tabriz was a
destination city to experience Western lifestyle, avant-garde trends,
and the latest in arts from music to literature. My mother tells me
that Tabriz had retail stores stocked with imported luxury items from
fine fabrics to china and toys.

The wealthy Armenians of Tabriz managed their community. They
underwrote the costs for operating the schools and churches. No child
was left behind for lack of money. I have heard stories about poor
kids who could not afford school supplies and had holes in their
shoes, but still attended an Armenian school.

According to Webster, microcosm means `universe in miniature.’ In the
early 20th Century, the Tabriz my mother knew and where she was
growing up was truly a `universe in miniature.’ The many ethnic and
religious minorities in the city created a rich and diverse culture.
In 1934, Germans built the imposing City Hall with a middle turret,
very similar to American city halls built in that same era. American
missionaries had built the Memorial school and a hospital.
French-Catholics had their own church and school, where students were
exposed to the French language.

Armenians have been a big part of Tabriz’s modernization effort. The
reason is obvious. Armenians were Christians, thus their lifestyle
was closer to Europeans and especially to Russians. Well-to-do
families sent their kids to Europe or Russia to learn a trade or just
get educated. In Iran, Armenians were esteemed highly by Persians.

Tabriz had two Armenian neighborhoods – Ghaala and Leelava. Each
neighborhood had its own Armenian elementary school. There was only
one Armenian high school for both neighborhoods: Temakan High School.
Some Armenian students also attended the American Memorial school.

Ghaala, which was a more prestigious (wealthy) neighborhood, boasted
an old Armenian school built in 1836. The name of the school was
Aramyan. In 1936, when my grandfather was its headmaster, the school
celebrated its centennial. To me, the fact that 70 years ago, an
Armenian school in Iran celebrated its centennial is very intriguing.
It shows how Armenians made huge strides both socially and culturally
in Iran. The Aramyan school was famous for two more reasons: one, it
had a woman teacher, even before my grandparents’ time, and two, its
concert hall, with stalls very similar to a mini opera house.

I have learned most of these facts about Tabriz from stories my mother
has told me. In 1963, we took a family trip to Tabriz and had the
opportunity to visit many places mom had mentioned. We went to
Glolestan gardens, and to the historic Ark which is an impressive
remainder of a huge citadel built in the early 14th century. We also
visited Shah-Goli, which features a promenade around a huge man-made
lake and a restaurant in the middle of the lake.

This is the seventh annual banquet of `Jan Tavriz.’ For the last
several years the group has successfully collected and digitized 3000
pictures from private collections. All the pictures and the captions
will be displayed on March 10 at the banquet, held at RITZ CELEBRATION
BANQUET HALL (Kalaydjian Hall) 3325 N. Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank, CA
91504.

Proceeds from the banquet will go to preservation of the history
connected to Armenians in Azerbaijan province in the form of books and
other albums, and to rebuilding a cultural and sports center in the
town of Sisian in Armenia. For more information, contact the office
of Jan Tavriz at (818) 502-1858.

Our Environment. Our Armenia

Our Environment. Our Armenia

asbarez
Friday, March 2nd, 2012

In the summer of 2010, I was at Datev Monastery volunteering with
Armenian Tree Project (ATP) as a landscape architect. We were working
on the planting design for the world’s longest aerial tramway, `Wings
of Datev.’ I remember the excitement I felt at the chance to be able
to contribute to the design of such a gargantuan project that was
being eagerly implemented by people from all over the world. But many
people had concerns as well; among other things, they complained that
the project did not have a master plan, that it did not address the
surrounding environment properly, that the developers would eventually
build a resort on top of Devil’s Bridge, that the tramway should have
been located in a less visually intrusive area. People were passionate
about this project, and their points were all valid; it was at this
point that I asked myself how we as a people would address such
concerns. This question has lingered in my mind ever since.

ATP completed the project a few months later and I, a volunteer, had
created a planting design that included over 3,000 trees. Needless to
say, I was ecstatic that I had not only spent my time in Armenia
living with our environment, people and culture, but also that I had
contributed to its development. I got back to Los Angeles and wanted
to share my experience with the Armenian community; I wanted everyone
to know what I had accomplished by simply trying. I went to Armenia
with no expectations and ended up planting 3,000 seeds of change with
my own hands. And I was not alone. There were people educating
children, empowering women, conserving the environment – working to
preserve and better Armenia in every sector imaginable.

I came back in the fall of 2010 and have spent the last year
convincing anyone and everyone I meet to go to Armenia and volunteer.
I have told them that Armenia needs them as much as they need Armenia.
I have told them to visit, learn, teach, and answer for themselves all
the questions they have about Armenia. In the summer of 2011, I
returned to Armenia as a Youth Corps director. My goal was to show my
group an Armenia beyond the nightlife and tourism of Yerevan; I wanted
them to see that this was their home that they needed to care for
throughout their lives.

The group departed in August and I stayed behind to do my thesis
research on the urban landscape of Yerevan; I examined how it had
changed throughout the transition from a Soviet state to independence.
I felt that after 20 years of independence, people were beginning to
realize that they were capable of demanding the right to a more
civilized way of life, in a city with parks that were cared for, with
better housing choices, with more efficient transportation. They were
beginning to speak up about conserving their environment and about
using their natural resources to benefit the whole and not the
irresponsible few.

I came back to Los Angeles with a sense of hope in the future of
Armenia; at this point, many my friends were on the same page, having
experienced for themselves the change beginning to sprout in Armenia.
We continued to work on our projects, each of us doing our part
independently, motivated by our own beliefs. And in January, when the
passion of activists in Armenia began to spread all over the world,
and the unanswered question from two years ago rose once again to the
front of my thoughts, a response began to clarify itself in my mind.
We can address the concerns of our people collectively, just like the
activists in Armenia are, along with anyone else that wants to commit
to doing their part. We can start raising awareness about
environmental injustice on every level, starting with mining issues in
Teghut, and moving on to the building of private business structures
at the cost of the remaining community parks in Yerevan. Together, we
can address these concerns, and we can meet our collective goals by
contributing our individual expertise to our common interest, the
betterment of Armenia.

Saving Teghut: Environmental Justice in Armenia is an education panel
organized by the ARF `Shant’ Student Association and several leading
environmental organizations to inform people about issues that are a
part of the struggle for a healthier Armenia. It will take place on
March 11th at 6:00 PM at the Hollywood Armenian Center, 1611 N.
Kenmore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027.

We hope to see you there.

Vrej Haroutounian
ARF `Shant’ Student Association

«De la loi comme analyseur jusqu’aux réparations»

OPINION
« De la loi comme analyseur jusqu’aux réparations », par Liliane Daronian

Le Conseil constitutionnel en a décidé le 28 février 2012. La bataille
contre la négation des génocides déclenchée par le Président Nicolas
Sarkozy et menée en territoire français a été perdue, elle l’a été par
les Arméniens du monde entier : mondialisation du sentiment d’une
défaite …

La Turquie elle-même, celle des véritables démocrates a aussi perdu
cette bataille qui est la même que celle menée par les siens au fin
fond des prisons où ils croupissent par centaines.

La France le sait-elle ? Mais elle aussi a perdu la bataille, celle de
ses idéaux, celle de ses promesses, celle des valeurs universelles.
Elle a perdu ce qu’elle a reçu de ses parents, ce qu’elle doit à ses
enfants. Et à travers la France, le monde qui la regardait à lui aussi
perdu sur ce champ de bataille – oui mondialisé – qui est celui de la
dignité humaine.

Mais ceux qui ont ressenti le plus douloureusement cette défaite sont
les Arméniens. La poussière des os des martyrs de 1915, morts sans
sépulture, dont ils se sentent les gardiens, s’est de nouveau levée.
Et ils n’ont pas pu obtenir pour eux la sépulture de la justice. Ils
n’ont pas pu non plus les protéger des silences entendus ou des
paroles chargées de fiel. Ils n’ont pas pu empêcher qu’ils deviennent
objets d’indifférence ou de pitié, de violence réitérée. De la « pitié
dangereuse » au retour de « boomrang », le prestigieux Robert Badinter
a sonné l’hallali en véritable chef de meute, traçant la voie avec
acharnement. Le docteur honoris causa de l’université de Galatasaray,
à Istanbul, a pu tester sa puissance auprès d’une opinion publique
d’une révérence sans faille à son égard.

Les débats autour de la loi sur la pénalisation de la négation des
génocides ont joué tel un analyseur, un révélateur. On y a beaucoup
appris. Ainsi, tel dans un mauvais film de science fiction, l’on a vu
une toute petite poignée d’hommes façonner l’opinion publique en
France, à un point inimaginable. Ces hommes ont oeuvré, en manipulant
et en dévoyant des valeurs aussi nobles que la liberté d’expression,
celle de la libre recherche historique, celle du rejet des procédés
électoralistes, celle de la prééminence du dialogue, celle de la
défense sourcilleuse de la constitution… Et ce faisant, ils ont
brandi le bien pour faire place au mal. Cet usage extraordinaire du
dévoiement leur a été soufflé par des maîtres en la matière, plus
exercés encore dans la manipulation, le mensonge, en l’espèce par ceux
qui dirigent la Turquie actuelle, par ces héritiers du ventre sombre
de l’Empire ottoman.

Ceux-là même qui soufflent dans l’oreille de ceux qui font l’opinion,
sont venus se blottir tout contre eux, ils se sont implantés en France
dans maintes officines tel l’Institut du Bosphore s’alliant les bonnes
grces de personnalités de tout bord. Il serait temps d’ailleurs pour
ceux parmi ces personnalités qui ont été abusés de quitter le navire,
au risque d’entacher les formations qu’ils représentent et de
s’embourber dans des conflits d’intérêt inextricables (structures
étatiques, partis politiques, médias, entreprises, institutions
académiques, etc.). Cette bataille a été perdue à l’heure où la
Turquie ouvre une page nouvelle de son histoire en s’adonnant sans
plus de retenue à ses pulsions ottomanistes et pantouraniennes jamais
vraiment éteintes. Après avoir menacé la France de représailles si
jamais la loi était votée, elle envoie au front son clône turcophone,
l’Azerbaïdjan, pour donner à la fois plus de force et une étendue
géographique plus grande à ses menaces, jusqu’au Karabakh, jusqu’en
Arménie. Car brandir la menace, jusque dans ses formes les plus
extrêmes, est la marque de fabrique du pouvoir turc.

Est-elle si nouvelle cette page ? Et si sous l’appellation République
turque on avait dissimulé la continuité de l’empire ottoman sous une
autre forme ? Et si la Turquie était le dernier des empires coloniaux,
terrorisant les peuples autochtones quand elle ne les élimine pas ?
Dernier empire colonial, la Turquie se fait pourtant passer pour une
victime des Occidentaux pour se gagner les faveurs d’ex-pays colonisés
et obtenir leurs voix dans les instances internationales – avec un
pouvoir de persuasion encore plus grand auprès de ceux dont la
population est musulmane.

Et pour 2015 ? Pour le centenaire ? Que prépare la Turquie ? Serait-ce
de sombres desseins ?

Les Arméniens ont beaucoup appris durant ces derniers jours. Et ils
ont appris, s’ils ne le savaient déjà, que rien n’arrêterait leur
combat. Ils voient aujourd’hui que leur formidable capacité de
résistance, qui a traversé les siècles, est intacte.

2015 peut agir comme un accélérateur. Il faut que les Arméniens et
leurs Amis s’approprient le Centenaire comme une opportunité
d’avancées décisives dans leurs luttes, voire même, comme une
opportunité de Renaissance pour la civilisation arménienne, et pour le
monde, comme une opportunité de dire fort l’actualité des valeurs
universelles. Ce sont maintenant, sans plus tarder, les réparations
dues au peuple arménien spolié qu’il faut mettre en avant.

Et ces luttes, il faut les mener ensemble, en réseau, comme le sang
qui coule dans les veines d’un corps vivant.

Liliane Daronian Coopération Arménie

samedi 3 mars 2012,
Ara ©armenews.com